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Job 11:3 — Word Study

Depth

WLCבַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃

BSAShould your babblingbad [empty boasts, lies] put othersmath [men, people] to silencechârash [be quiet, still] Will you scofflâʻag [mock, deride] withoutʼayin rebukekâlam [shame, humiliation]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 11
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (makh.Lim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 11:3quick helps
In a sentenceJob questions whether his opponent's empty words can truly silence others and whether mockery can go unchallenged.
Who is speakingJob, addressing Zophar, one of his friends.
Where we areIn a discourse where Job responds to accusations made against him.
The hard wordבַּדֶּיךָ
Take awayEmpty boasts do not carry weight; silence and mockery need accountability.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectכָּלַם verbחָרֵשׁ The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Job 11:3

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Job's Response to Zophargenerated

2“Should this stream of words go unanswered and such a speaker be vindicated?
3Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?
4You have said, ‘My doctrine is sound, and I am pure in Your sight.’
5But if only God would speak and open His lips against you,

Job 11:3 is part of Job's reply to Zophar, who has accused him of wrongdoing. Job challenges the validity of Zophar's claims, questioning whether his empty talk can truly silence others. This passage highlights the theme of unjust accusations and the need for genuine discourse. In the surrounding verses, Job continues to assert his integrity and calls for a response from God, emphasizing the importance of truth in communication.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 13:4You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.
2Job 15:2–3“Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
3Job 24:25If this is not so, then who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?”
4Job 12:4I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
5Job 13:9Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man?

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בַּדֶּיךָ, Ba.dei.khagenerated

The word בַּד (bad) refers to empty or idle talk, suggesting a lack of substance in one's words. It is often used to describe falsehoods or bragging, indicating a sense of deceitfulness. The parsing as a noun in the construct state with a suffix shows it is directly linked to the subject, implying ownership of such empty speech.

This term appears in contexts warning against dishonesty and is used to characterize those who engage in such speech. Job uses it here to critique Zophar's claims, suggesting that they are baseless and lack true merit.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree here, consistently rendering בַּדֶּיךָ as your babbling or empty boasts across versions like the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו (will they silence?) governs the main clause, with two subordinate clauses attached: one questioning the validity of empty talk and the other addressing mockery. This structure emphasizes the relationship between the accusations and the need for accountability.

The sentence's arrangement highlights Job's challenges to Zophar's claims, placing the focus on the actions of both speaking and being silent, which are central to the argument.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates the verb יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו as γίνου, which means 'to become' or 'to be.' This choice reflects a widening of the concept, suggesting not just silence but a transformation of state, perhaps indicating a deeper level of accountability.

This translation choice indicates an interpretative layer that may imply a shift from mere silence to a more profound change in the speaker's condition.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 11:3 questions whether Zophar's empty words can truly silence others and whether mockery can go unchallenged. Job is responding to accusations against him, asserting that such speech lacks substance and should not go without a response.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Job mean by 'your babbling'?

Job refers to Zophar's words as empty and lacking truth, suggesting that they do not hold any real weight or validity.

Why does Job question the ability to silence others?

Job is challenging the notion that mere words, especially those lacking substance, can effectively silence or discredit others.

What is the significance of mocking in this context?

Mocking implies a lack of respect and accountability, which Job suggests should not be tolerated without response.

How does this verse relate to the overall themes in Job?

This verse reflects the themes of integrity, the challenge of false accusations, and the importance of honest discourse in the face of adversity.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I encountered empty words in my own life, and how have they affected me?
  2. How can I ensure that my speech is truthful and holds substance in my conversations with others?
  3. What is the impact of mockery in discussions, and how can I address it when I see it?
  4. How can I better respond to accusations or criticisms that I believe are unfounded?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early commentators like John Chrysostom and Gregory the Dialogist reference this verse to discuss the nature of truth and accountability in speech.

John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON Job 11:3B c. 347–407
Zophar means, “Is there none to answer you?” meaning other than we ourselves. Or it could mean: “There is nobody who knows your misfortunes, apart from God, and if he had wanted to disgrace you,
Early Church Fathers on Job 11 →
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book X c. 540–604
Should men hold their peace at thee only? and when thou mockest at others, shall no man confute thee? The uninstructed mind, as we have said, is sorely galled by the sentences of truth, and reckons silence to be a punishment;
Early Church Fathers on Job 11 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 11:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Should thy lies make men hold their peace?.... By which he means, either lies in common, untruths wilfully told, which are sins of a scandalous nature, which good men will not dare to commit

Read John Gill on Job 11 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? Should thy lies make men hold their peace? - "lies" - rather, vain boasting [ badiym (H907)] (Isaiah 16:6; Jeremiah 48:30).

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 11 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Thy lies, i.e. thy false opinions and assertions, both concerning thyself and thy own innocency, and concerning the counsels and ways of God, make men hold their peace; as if thy arguments were unanswerable. When thou mockest, both God, , and us, and our friendly and faithful counsels, ,15,25,26, shall no man make thee ashamed, by discovering thy errors and follies?

Read Matthew Poole on Job 11 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 11:3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?Ver. 3. Should thy lies make men hold their peace?] Or, thy toys, toilsome toys, hammered in thine own head, hatched in thine own heart, which is deceitful above all things, and so a fit shop to frame lies in; but should we be silent at the hearing of them, and so become guilty of thy sin by a tacit consent? Can any mortal wight hear what thou hast said in behalf of thine own imaginary innocence, Job 6:29-30, and how bold an appeal thou hast made to God as a witness thereof, Job 10:7, and not reply upon thee, and reprove thee? The truth is, had Job been a liar, as Zophar would make of…

Read John Trapp on Job 11 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. Should thy lies make men hold their peace?] This is a very severe reproof, and not justified by the occasion. And when thou mockest] As thou despisest others, shall no man put thee to scorn? Zophar could never think that the solemn and awful manner in which Job spoke could be called bubbling, as some would translate the term לעג laag. He might consider Job's speech as sarcastic and severe, but he could not consider it as nonsense.

Read AdamClarke on Job 11 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Should thy lies] Or, Shall thy boastings, or, as Reuss, “ton verbiage.” The reference is probably to Job’s assertions of his own innocence, or perhaps the general scope of his speech. The word “men” is as we should say “people”—shall thy boastings put people to silence? and when thou mockest] Or, so that thou mockest, none putting thee to shame. Job’s “mockery” or irreligious, sceptical talk is summed up in Job 11:4. This mockery is called “scorning,” ch. Job 34:6.

Read Cambridge on Job 11 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Should thy lies - Margin, “devices.” Rosenmuller renders this, “should men bear thy boastings with silence?” Dr.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 11 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

3. Thy lies — The Hebrew also means babblings, boastings. “To say or to suggest that a man lies, is, with us, enough to kindle the weakest spirit, and is, with many, a murderous affront, while an

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 11 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Should your boastings make men hold their peace? When you mock, will no man make you ashamed?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Will your idle talk reduce people to silence, and will no one rebuke you when you mock?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Should thy falsehoods make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Should men holde their peace at thy lyes? and when thou mockest others, shall none make thee ashamed?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Should thy fictions make men hold their peace? and shouldest thou mock, and no one make [thee] ashamed?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Your boastings make men keep silent, || You scorn, and none is causing blushing!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Thy inventions are to bring men to silence; and when thou utterest thy mocking no one is to cause thee to feel abashed!

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Should your boasting make others remain silent? When you mock, will no one make you feel ashamed?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Shall men hold their peace to thee only? and when thou hast mocked others, shall no man confute thee?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Should all your babbling force people to keep quiet? When you mock, shouldn't someone make you feel ashamed?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Are your words of pride to make men keep quiet? and are you to make sport, with no one to put you to shame?

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clausenoun phrase · subjectבַּ֭דֶּיboastsךָyour.emptyobjectמְתִ֣יםmenverbיַחֲרִ֑ישׁוwill.they.silence?וַ֝andclauseverbתִּלְעַ֗גhave.you.mocked?וְandclausepredicateאֵ֣יןthere.[is].notsubjectמַכְלִֽם[one.who].puts.to.shame

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text is consistent with the Septuagint in terms of the core message, although only two of the six words match directly. The differences in word order and phrasing in the Septuagint suggest a different interpretative approach rather than a direct textual variation.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗גγίνουוְאֵ֣יןοὐ

2 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Job 11:3בַּדempty boastempty boasts yoבַּדמַתmenmenמַתחָרַשׁwill they swill they silenחָרַשׁלָעַגand have yoand have you moלָעַגאַ֫יִןand there nand there notאַ֫יִןכָּלַם[is one who[is one who] puכָּלַםבָּדָאto deviseto deviseבָּדָאמָתַיhowhowמָתַיאַ֫יִןwhere?where?אַ֫יִןעֶבְרָהfuryfuryעֶבְרָהחָרַשׁto plow/plto plow/plotחָרַשׁמִסְפָּרnumbernumberמִסְפָּרמְעַטlittlelittleמְעַטקָצֵרbe shortbe shortקָצֵרשָׂחַקto laughto laughשָׂחַקבָזָהto despiseto despiseבָזָהכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹבּוֹשׁbe ashamedbe ashamedבּוֹשׁכֵּןrightrightכֵּן
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Job 11:3

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

empty boasts your men will they silence? and have you mocked? and there not [is one who] puts to shame
בַּ֭דֶּיךָBa.dei.kha empty boasts your H907 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for empty or false talk, like a lie or brag, is used to describe someone who speaks falsely. It appears in the Bible as a warning against dishonesty. In the KJV, it is translated as liar or lie.
Amplified meaning
empty boasts, lies
Tyndale gloss
bluster
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּד (bad) refers to empty or idle talk, as well as to those who engage in such speech, described as empty talkers or praters. It can also denote a brag or lie, and is associated with the concept of a liar. The word is built from a root that suggests emptiness, and it appears in contexts related to deceitful speech.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בַּד] n.m.

empty, idle talk

concr. empty talkers, praters

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H907 [בַּד] . empty, idle talk

. concr. empty talkers, praters

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

907 bad bad

from 908; a brag or lie; also a liar:--liar, lie.

see HEBREW for 0908

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּד (bad) — bluster.

empty talk, idle talk, liar, lie

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
empty boasts your men will they silence? and have you mocked? and there not [is one who] puts to shame
מְתִ֣יםme.Tim men H4962 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a grown man, as seen in Genesis 14:24 and Numbers 31:28. It can also mean a few men or a small group of people, depending on the context. The word is used to describe adult males in various biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
men, people
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַת (mat) refers to a male or man, often used in both prose and poetry. The term emphasizes adult males and can imply a group of men, sometimes with less focus on gender. It is derived from a related word, but its usage is primarily in the plural form.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַת] n.m. male, man

males, men

usu. less emphasis on sex

elsewhere only poet.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4962 [מַת] male, man

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4962 math math

from the same as 4970; properly, an adult (as of full

length); by implication, a man (only in the plural):--+ few,

X friends, men, persons, X small.

see HEBREW for 04970

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַת (mat) — man.

1) male, man

1a) males, men

1b) few men (in prose)

1b1) less emphasis on sex

1c) men (poetic)

1c1) less emphasis on sex

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
empty boasts your men will they silence? and have you mocked? and there not [is one who] puts to shame
יַחֲרִ֑ישׁוya.cha.Ri.shv will they silence? H2790 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine plural
74× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to be quiet or silent, but also to scratch or engrave, like a farmer plowing a field. It is used in various contexts, including being silent or deaf. The KJV translates it in different ways, including 'cease' or 'hold peace'.
Amplified meaning
be quiet, still
Tyndale gloss
to plow/plot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָרַשׁ (*charash*) encompasses meanings related to cutting, engraving, and plowing, as well as devising, often with a negative connotation. It also has a related form, חָרֵשׁ (*charesh*), which means to be silent or deaf. The entries indicate a range of uses, from physical actions to metaphorical implications of secrecy and silence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָרַשׁ] vb. cut in, engrave, plough, devise

Qal

cut in, engrave

plough

devise

Niph. Zion, as a field she shall be ploughed

Hiph. fabricating mischief against

base

[חָרֵשׁ] vb. 1. be silent, dumb, speechless; 2. be deaf; chiefly poet.

Qal

be silent, alw. of God’s keeping silence when men pray

be deaf

Hiph.

be silent (= exhibit silence)

once causat. make silent

be deaf, shew deafness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2790a חָרַשׁ cut in, engrave, plough, devise H2790b חָרֵשׁ . be silent, dumb, speechless

. be deaf; chiefly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2790 charash khaw-rash'

a primitive root; to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to

engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate

(of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense);

hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone;

hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of

dumbness):--X altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise,

ear, graven, imagine, leave off speaking, hold peace,

plow(-er, man), be quiet, rest, practise secretly, keep

silence, be silent, speak not a word, be still, hold tongue,

worker.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָרַשׁ (cha.rash) — to plow/plot.

1) to cut in, plough, engrave, devise

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cut in, engrave

1a2) to plough

1a3) to devise

1b) (Niphal) to be ploughed

1c) (Hiphil) to plot evil

חָרֵשׁ (cha.resh) — be quiet.

1) to be silent, be dumb, be speechless, be deaf

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be silent

1a2) to be deaf

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to be silent, keep quiet

1b2) to make silent

1b3) to be deaf, show deafness

1c) (Hithpael) to remain silent

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVhi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

si'-lens: Five Hebrew roots, with various derivatives, and two Greek words are thus translated. The word is used literally for dumbness, interrupted speech, as in La 2:10; Ps 32:3; Ec 3:7; Am 5:13; Ac 15:12; 1Co 14:28; 1Ti 2:11,12 the King James Version (the American Standard Revised Version "quietness"); Re 8:1, or figuratively of the unanswered prayers of the believer (Ps 83:1; 35:22;

empty boasts your men will they silence? and have you mocked? and there not [is one who] puts to shame
וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗גva.til.'Ag and have you mocked? H3932 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect second person masculine singular
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To mock or deride someone is the meaning of this word, which can also imply speaking in a way that sounds like a foreign language.
Amplified meaning
mock, deride
Tyndale gloss
to mock
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לָעַג (la'ag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to mock or deride. It can also refer to stammering, particularly in the Niphal form, which suggests speaking unintelligibly. The entries indicate that the word conveys ridicule and scorn, with variations in its use across different grammatical forms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[לָעַג] vb. mock, deride; also (Niph.) stammer, poet.

Qal mock, deride, have in derision

Niph. a people stammering of tongue (i.e. barbarians)

Hiph. mock, deride

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3932 [לָעַג] mock, deride; also (Niph.) stammer, poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3932 la`ag law-ag'

a primitive root; to deride; by implication (as if imitating

a foreigner) to speak unintelligibly:--have in derision, laugh

(to scorn), mock (on), stammering.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָעַג (la.ag) — to mock.

1) to mock, deride, ridicule

1a) (Qal) to mock, deride, have in derision

1b) (Niphal) to stammer

1c) (Hiphil) to mock, deride

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect second person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw2ms
empty boasts your men will they silence? and have you mocked? and there not [is one who] puts to shame
וְאֵ֣יןve.'Ein and there not H369 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
789× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Tyndale gloss
nothing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought

to nothing, as nothing

cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

in circumst. clauses

with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

with prefixes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing

. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

. in circumst. clauses

. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

. with prefixes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

369 'ayin ah'-yin

as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not

exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative

particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,

in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,

thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),

well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

see HEBREW for 0370

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.

1) nothing, not, nought n

1a) nothing, nought neg

1b) not

1c) to have not (of possession) adv

1d) without w/prep

1e) for lack of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
empty boasts your men will they silence? and have you mocked? and there not [is one who] puts to shame
מַכְלִֽם׃makh.Lim [is one who] puts to shame H3637 Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singular
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be humiliated means to be insulted or shamed, as seen in the Bible's use of this word to describe people's reactions to their mistakes. It is about feeling ashamed or reproached.
Amplified meaning
shame, humiliation
Tyndale gloss
be humiliated
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּלַם (kalam) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to humiliate or insult. It has various forms, including Niphal (to be humiliated) and Hiphil (to humiliate others). The word conveys a sense of shame and confusion, indicating both the act of causing shame and the experience of being shamed.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כָּלַם] vb. only Niph. Hoph. be humiliated, Hiph. humiliate

Niph. be humiliated, ashamed, put to shame, dishonoured, confounded

Hiph.

put to shame = insult, humiliate

exhibit shame

Hoph.

we were not insulted, humiliated

they were put to shame, dishonoured, confounded

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3637 [כָּלַם] only Niph. Hoph. be humiliated, Hiph. humiliate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3637 kalam kaw-lawm'

a primitive root; properly, to wound; but only figuratively,

to taunt or insult:--be (make) ashamed, blush, be confounded,

be put to confusion, hurt, reproach, (do, put to) shame.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּלַם (ka.lam) — be humiliated.

1) to insult, shame, humiliate, blush, be ashamed, be put to shame, be reproached, be put to confusion, be humiliated

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be humiliated, be ashamed

1a2) to be put to shame, be dishonoured, be confounded

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to put to shame, insult, humiliate, cause shame to

1b2) to exhibit shame

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be insulted, be humiliated

1c2) to be put to shame, be dishonoured, be confounded

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singular
HVhrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sham (bosh, "to be ashamed," bosheth, "shame," qalon; aischune, "ignominy," atimia, "dishonor," and other words): An oft-recurring word in Scripture almost uniformly bound up with a sense of sin and guilt. It is figuratively set forth as a wild beast (Jer 3:24), a Nessus-garment (Jer 3:25), a blight (Jer 20:18), a sin against one's own soul (Hab 2:10), and twice as the condensed symbol of Hebrew abomination--Baal (Jer 11:13 margin; Ho 9:10 margin; see ISH-BOSHETH). It is bracketed with defeat (Isa 30:3), reproach…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Jesus ashamed of those who deny him Mr 8:38; Lu 9:26

→ Of Adam and Eve Ge 3:10

→ Destitute of, the Israelites when they worshiped the golden calf Ex 32:25

→ The unjust Zep 3:5

→ Of the cross Heb 12:2

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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